


Jealousy

by awalkingdenial



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Jealous Tyler, Josh is fucking pretty, M/M, some angst too yeah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-22 13:25:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9609323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awalkingdenial/pseuds/awalkingdenial
Summary: Tyler thinks he's having homophobic thoughts about Josh and internally panics. Turns out he's just jealous because he's not that straight and very in love with him.





	1. Prologue; How It All Started

**Author's Note:**

> Three chapters of this stuff. Yeah, don't hate me.

_ “I’m coming out of my cage  _

_ and I’ve been doing just fine _

_ Gotta, gotta be down _

_ because I want it all.” _

 

 

Tyler loved living with Josh.

 

Josh was so cute, the _please let me wrap you in a blanket and bring you tacos so we can watch rom-com stuff until it’s late night and you fall asleep on my shoulder_ kind of cute.

 

Tyler was so glad he had a found a roommate like him, and he was even more glad he’d been lucky enough to discover a great friend in him too. 

 

They got along well, hardly ever argued if not for silly reasons that ended up into something more akin to quarrels than actual fights. 

 

He put the key in the lock and opened the door. “Jishwa?” he called. He remained silent, hoping for a response that was not to come. Josh wasn’t home. 

 

His shoulders deflated as he closed the door again and threw his scarf and coat over the armchair beside the coach, on which he sat. 

 

It didn’t take much for him to doze off.

 

 

*

 

Tyler woke up to a smiling Josh. He couldn’t help but sleepily smile back. 

 

“Hey sleeping beauty,” he said tilting his head. He was leaning forward, hands on his knees.

 

“Technically, you can’t call me that if I didn’t need any kiss to wake up.” 

 

Josh laughed. “Yeah. You wish you could wake up to me kissing you.”

 

“Sure,” he rolled his eyes.

 

“Anyway. I have plans for tonight,” he stood up straight. 

 

“And those plans are?” he stood up too and looked at the bag on the table.

 

“Eating,” he answered, taking out some wrapped tacos from it. “And getting drunk,” he grinned as he took out a bottle of tequila.

“Holy shit, dude. What will we be drinking to?”

 

“Six months of cohabiting. We did it halfway through the year. You were bearable enough.”

 

“Yeah, and you were the funniest.”

 

Josh laughed and blew him a kiss. “I know.”

 

*

 

“This one,” Josh said raising his little glass. “Is for, er, for…”

 

“For bananas.”

 

Josh stared at him open mouthed for ten seconds. “Bro. You _hate_ bananas. Like. You _do hate_ bananas.”

 

Tyler patted his chest so Josh didn’t worry. “Bro, that’s esc—ext—exactly why we’re drinking this shot for them. They’re just fruits and get too much hate from us.”

 

“You’re so sweet.”

 

“I know. You’re really sweet too.”

 

Josh turned to him and smiled. They were lying on the floor, so Tyler had to turn to look at him too. He couldn’t remember how they got where they were. His friend was so beautiful though. Tyler had to add that to the list of reasons to be amazed by Josh. “Your smile is very sweet, too.”

 

“Is it?” he asked as it widened, white teeth shining their way through Tyler’s brain. 

 

“Yeah. It makes my heart beat faster.”

 

Joshua’s smile faded, but fondness never left his eyes. “You’re lovely when your heart beats faster.”

“Well, it can beat even faster.”

 

Josh raised an eyebrow. “How?”

 

Tyler lowered his voice until it was nothing but a murmur. “Keep doing what you’re doing. _It’s you_.”

 

Josh lay on his side, using his elbow as a support. His pink hair was messy and bright and he was breathtaking, lips wet and flushed, just as much as his cheeks. “Is it?” he asked again, whispering too.

 

Tyler nodded. His heart was literally racing under his ribs.

 

Josh leaned in, leaving a soft kiss on his collarbone. “Faster?”

 

Tyler nodded again, eyes closed.

 

Another burning kiss was left under his jaw. “Faster?”

 

“Yes,” he whimpered. “Fuck yes,” he repeated. His hands moved without command and interlaced his fingers into Josh’s hair. He guided his friend’s lips to his, welcoming them as something that had always belonged to him.

 

Josh’s lips were hot, and just as soft as they seemed to be. They tasted of tequila, just as Tyler’s, but what was there was Josh’s smell, intoxicating and addictive. Familiar. He licked the top of Josh’s upper lip, looking at him right in the eyes, asking for permission to take more. Josh gave it to him, moaning in Tyler’s mouth as he parted his lips.

 

Tyler would have never believed Heaven would burn like Hell.

 


	2. But it's just the price I pay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brandon like Brandon Flowers and he is just like in Mr Brightside's music video

_“Now they're going to bed_

_And my stomach is sick_

_And it's all in my head”_

 

 

 

 

More than a month had passed since _that_ night. No one had brought the shared kiss up. Tyler remembered, Josh didn’t. There wasn’t that much to say about it.

 

_“Oh God,” Josh moaned massaging his neck. It looked like he’d just been hit by a car. Tyler could hear his sleepy voice was still scratchy, his throat probably sore.  “How did we even end up on the floor?”_

 

_Tyler felt his heart sink in both relief and something else, between sadness and discomfort. “I can’t remember, man.”_

 

_Josh pressed two fingers on each temple. “Shit. I can’t either. After the taco it’s all blank.”_

 

This is good _, Tyler tried to convince himself._ I’m straight, he is too. We’re like best friends. We were just drunk, talking about it would ruin us _. “We ate tacos?” he joked._

 

_“Come on, Ty” he snorted._

 

_Tyler laughed with him too, hoping the bitter feeling in his throat was there just due to the hangover._

 

Tyler could smell Josh was making pancakes. He got out of bed and put on a t-shirt.

 

Josh, instead, was shirtless under the apron. He looked _obscene_. “Morning.”

 

“Morning Ty,” he smiled without turning to look at him. “Have a sit. I’ll join you in a sec.”

 

And Tyler did sit. He started to play with the maple syrup, letting a spoon sink in it and then licking it clean. Then his eyes laid on Josh’s back. Josh had a beautiful back, no lies. Tyler just wanted his to be like Josh’s. Not for else. 

 

Josh had a great ass too. 

 

He was so beautiful. “ _I wish we were married_ ,” his mouth spilled out. He froze in shock as Josh turned off the gas and then faced him.

 

Tyler shook his head slightly. “No homo, man. I meant it in a bro way. Because you’re cool, and your pancakes are great.”

 

Josh’s expression melted back into his mild, usual one. He let the pancakes-full plate on the table and took a sit next to Tyler. “Sure, I know. But I would suggest you heighten your marriage standards because I’m sure a quarter of Earth’s population could be defined as cool and good at making breakfast.”

 

Tyler tilted his head.

 

“And about this homo thing… I have to talk to you.”

 

_Oh God. I’m not ready._

 

“I’ve always been very open about my sexuality, right? I have only dated girls, but never labeled myself. Well… I’m bisexual,” he admitted, shrugging and looking down.

 

_It’s not about the kiss, then._ “You look uncomfortable, Joshie” he raised his head and put two fingers under his chin to lift it. “ _Don’t be_.”

 

Josh let his eyelids fall closed and breathed in his relief. “I didn’t know how you’d take it.”

 

“I’m taking it well. My best friend got to know himself better, and I’m here to support him. Isn’t it what _friends_ do?” he retrieved his hand, missing Josh’s skin as soon as his fingers left it, and forked a pancake. 

 

“Friends like you, yeah, I guess that’s what they do,” he agreed. He took a pancake too, and sank it in acacia honey.

 

Tyler took the first bite. It was delicious. When he turned to look at Josh, he had taken off his apron and left it on the back of the chair. Tyler almost choked on the syrup. “How did you find out, if I may ask?”

 

“I kissed a guy—better, things were getting less and less friendly, and he kissed me. I liked it _a lot._ I _wanted_ it _._ ”

 

A shiver climbed Tyler’s spine. “Ah. When did it happen?”

 

“Nights ago,” he continued, raising Tyler’s heartbeat to the stars. “Last time I was with Hayley at the club I met a very nice guy.”

 

_Oh, then it’s not about us_. 

 

“He asked me on a date, and I said _yes_.”

 

Stomach twisting, Tyler suddenly wasn’t that hungry anymore. 

 

 

*

 

The following morning Tyler was wearing an all black outfit that matched the dark circles under his eyes.

 

As they got into the car so he could drive them both to campus, Josh expressed his concern for Tyler’s face. “Seems like you’ve seen hell last night, Ty. Migraines again? Why didn’t you call me?” his voice was stained with badly hidden sadness.

 

Tyler felt a bit guilty, but he couldn’t really tell why. He let a hand rest on Josh’s thigh; then, as soon as something in his head told him that it was a very _boyfriend_ thing to do, he put it back on the steering wheel. “Just a common headache and nightmares with a bad timing. College stress.”

 

Josh nodded, looking away. “I get it.”

 

 

*

 

Right after his first class finished, Tyler’s phone rang. It was Josh. “Hey man, what’s up?”

“Don’t wait for me when your classes end today. You can go home,” Josh didn’t seem bothered or unsettled, but Tyler could sense something in his voice that wasn’t quite right.

 

“You’re _walking_ home? It’s like, six miles, Josh.”

 

“No, no, I’m not walking home, silly,” he laughed. “I’m coming home with my date. Later in the evening.”

 

Tyler started to feel sick just as his friend’s words were registered in the shell of his ear. He felt so uncomfortable a part of him suggested the better thing to do was hang up. “Oh. Okay.”

 

There was a pause in which neither of them said anything. 

 

“Well, unless you need me. I’d gladly spend the evening with you if you still feel bad.”

 

_Yes, please, stay with me, I don’t know what’s going on_. “Don’t worry man, I’m fine. See you tonight.”

 

 

*

 

That evening, kind of late, Tyler had ordered a pizza and was eating it while video-calling his ex girlfriend, Jenna.

 

Jenna had been one of the best things in Tyler’s life. Her astonishing eyes and sweet smile had dug a way in his heart only to fill it with joy and love. He could still remember how painful it had been to break up when she moved on the other side of the States. Through the last two years they’d been friends, souls linked by a kind of affection not easily destroyable by a simple break up. Even though their love had matured in something more platonic, friendly and different than the start, Tyler adored her. 

 

“Are you eating pizza, Ty? Josh leaves for an evening and you order take out?” she laughed, munching a cookie.

 

“You’re having dinner with cookies, I don’t think you’re in the position to criticize. Besides, I’m a bit under the weather.”

 

“I can tell, love,” her tone saddened. “What happened?”

 

Tyler looked at his pizza, then at Jenna’s face, framed by his laptop screen. “Josh is bisexual.”

 

She considered it, then: “And… ?”

 

Tyler let his hand through is hair. It was so frustrating. “I think—I think I have a problem with that.”

 

Jenna’s lips parted in a tight “o”. “You mean homophobic thoughts?”

 

Tyler was _ashamed_ of himself. “Yeah. I don’t know.”

 

“Uhm. Do you think it’s because you drunk-kissed? You know, you’ve had no problems at all with Brendon’s pansexuality. You’re still friends, even more than you were before you knew.”

 

He frowned. Jenna was right. He hadn’t thought about it. He had taken it so naturally. He had thought it was absolutely great for Brendon and fine for himself. “You’re right… Maybe—”

 

Tyler heard a key getting in the lock and the door opening. He widened his eyes and impulsively closed the laptop.

 

“Tyler?”

 

“Yeah.” _Why the heck am I so nervous?_ “I’m in the living room.”

 

Josh appeared in his sight a few seconds later, and sat on the couch. Tyler was still on the carpet right in front of it, so he had to look up to see Josh.

 

His fried smiled. “How are you?”

 

Tyler took a moment to examine his face. His cheeks were rosy and his lips… were red, red and a bit swollen. As if… as if he’d kissed someone before coming in. He swallowed, instantly feeling sick. “So so. What about you? How was your day?”

 

“It was good, yeah. Things might work out with Brandon. He’s great.”

 

Tyler didn’t want to hear about it anymore. “Well, that’s good, but _I would suggest you heighten your relationship standards_ because I’m sure half of the world’s population applies to the definition of great. You might want to switch person soon,” as words escaped his mouth Tyler already wished for them to get back in. Josh would _never_ act like that. 

 

Tyler dared to look up, and he could _see_ Josh’s heart cracking in his expression. Taken aback, hurt, _disappointed_ even. 

 

“ _Josh—_ ” he began, hating himself for being a heartless dick.

 

Josh raised a hand, interrupting him. “No, no, it’s okay,” he nodded. He managed to make a little smile. “I’m a bit tired. I’m going to sleep. Goodnight.”

 

Tyler felt undefined words push to come out as he watched his friend walking away, towards his room. 

 

He already missed him.

 

 

*

 

 

_“Your skin tastes so good, Tyler” Josh breathed on his skin, making Tyler shiver under it. Josh’s mouth let a trail of hot, wet kisses from the gap of his neck to his nipple, taking it delicately between his teeth._

 

_Tyler arched his back, head pulsing with expectation, body burning in desire. Josh was driving him_ mad _._

 

_Josh went back up to claim his moaning mouth, kissing him as if it were the last thing he would be doing on Earth. Tyler surrounded him with his arms, holding him down tight and making their crotches touch. He gasped. “Oh God, I want you so bad, Josh. Please tell me. Tell me you’re_ just mine _.”_

 

_Josh pressed his hard cock against Tyler’s, his eyes drinking in the expression of pure desire on Tyler’s face. “I’m yours, Tyler. You just have to ask me to be.”_

 

Tyler woke up sharply, sleep vanished like a curtain opened suddenly. He was sweaty and he had kicked away his blanket and sheets. 

 

He looked down at his crotch and his state didn’t surprise him: he could feel how painfully hard he was. He pressed a palm on his aching cock, biting his lip. 

 

He was hard because of… _Josh_.

 

He grabbed his phone to check the time. It was almost half past six in the morning. He also had three new messages from Jenna.

 

From: Jenna, 22:45

I heard your conversation. 

 

From: Jenna, 22:46

You’ve been such a jerk, Ty

But at least you’re not an homophobe

 

From: Jenna, 22:47

You’re just jealous… and not that straight

 

To: Jenna, 06: 28

I think you’re right, Jen

 

 

_And I think I’m fucked._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me if you liked it?  
> Thanks for reading frens


	3. Choking on your alibies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun

“It was only a kiss,

 

how did it end up like this?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a quarter to seven, and Tyler had forty minutes before Josh woke up. He tried to roll up his sleeves, then realized he was wearing a plain white t-shirt. 

 

That wasn’t a good sign.

 

_Fucking focus,_ he told himself. He had showered and changed, but the dream he’d had had left him numb. He took out the ingredients for crêpes and googled for their recipe. He clicked on the website Josh used to look for when he cooked and let the dances begin.

 

 

*

 

Tyler did it. He had already set the table and was putting the plate with crêpes at the centre of it when his roommate came in. 

 

Josh stopped walking when he saw it.

 

“Good morning,” Tyler said quickly. He tried to smile but he was too nervous. He didn’t want to know the expression that came out of that. 

 

Josh… Checked him out? Head to feet, and back up. “Is that my apron?”

 

_Oh, shit, I forgot to take it off._ “Er, yeah, in fact, sorry,” he let it slide up his head and folded it. “Look, about yesterday—”

 

Josh came closer to him and patted his shoulder. “It’s okay,” he sat down. 

 

“It’s _fucking_ _not_ , Joshua.”

 

At that Josh’s lips parted. He looked up at Tyler, turning his head.

 

“I am truly sorry for the dick I’ve been these past 48 hours, and I’m sure my behaviour has hurt you because I know you, and I’d promptly throw myself out of a window rather than hurting you again. And that’s because _I love you,”_ Tyler felt the truth coming to life as he spoke it. He instantly blushed. He was _in love_ with Josh. Maybe he’d even been for a while now without even realizing it.

 

Josh’s cheeks turned crimson as he bit his lip and looked down. Tyler thought he would have gladly died in that precise moment if that meant carrying that image forever in his afterlife. 

 

Josh looked up again, raising a hand to hold one of Tyler’s. “I love you too, man,” he smiled his _real_ smile, giggling. “Can we eat these, now?”

 

Tyler wanted to point out _I do not mean it_ _in a bro way this time,_ but he didn’t. Josh was dating someone, wasn’t he? He would respect that even if it meant dealing with heartache daily. “Yeah, I think it’s time,” he laughed, taking a seat next to his best friend.

 

Josh put chocolate cream on one and took a bite, moaning in appreciation. 

 

“You like it?”

 

“Mmmh,” was his pornographic response. Or at least, that was how it sounded to Tyler. “Your sweet hands made them. What did you expect?”

 

Sweet hands that had jerked him off in the shower while visions of Josh’s naked skin clouded his mind. Tyler shook his head as if to shake away the thought. “At least a marriage proposal?”

 

 

*

 

“Hi small one,” Brendon said getting in the car. “Where are you taking me?”

 

Tyler rolled his eyes, turning the car on. “To the stars.”

 

“How romantic. How about ice-cream instead?”

 

Tyler actually drove Brendon to their favorite ice-cream seller, a van in the park not that far from Tyler’s house. Tyler also paid for Brendon’s ice-cream. 

 

“Brendon, I have to tell you something.”

“Holy shit. Are you in love with me?”

 

“Yeah, you wish. I’m serious.”

 

“And I’m listening.”

 

Tyler took a deep breath in. “IminlovewithJosh.”

 

Brendon stared at him for a few seconds, then bursted into laughters before hugging him, almost dropping his ice-cream. “That’s no news to me, but I’m glad you found out yourself.”

 

Tyler could merely speak. “That’s _no_ news _to you_?”

 

“My dearest dumbass,” he began. “All those comments about Josh being so beautiful it hurt. Randomly saying _I miss Josh_ just a few minutes after you’ve said goodbye to him. Your jealousy, and oh, most importantly, the way you look at him. Like _he’s your favorite piece of art_. So obvious.”

 

_I hate you, Brendoff._ “I hate you for exposing me like this.”

 

“Love, you expose yourself.”

 

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do you think he knows too?”

 

Brendon licked his ice-cream contently. “Why don’t you find out yourself?” he winked.

 

“I’d rather eat stones,” was his opinion about it.

 

 

*

 

“Oh, _no_ ,” Tyler said, parking. 

 

Brendon looked around. “What?” 

 

“Brandon,” he got out. “Josh’s guy. He’s still here. That’s his car.”

 

Brendon frowned and tapped his chin with his forefinger. “We gotta meet him.”

 

“No fucking way.”

 

“If you don’t come up with me right now I’m telling Josh why you didn’t.”

“This is blackmailing, you—”

 

“Bastard? Yeah. Move your ass now.”

 

As he was walking up the stairs, Tyler could feel his feet trying to resist his will. _Don’t do this,_ they told him. _Don’t do this,_ his brain said too. 

 

“Just do it, Ty” was Brendon’s whisper.

 

When they were about to reach the fourth floor, Brendon extended his arm and stopped him. He turned and put a finger on his mouth so he stayed silent. 

 

Tyler did stay silent.

 

“I’m so glad I met you, Brandon” it was Josh speaking. Tyler felt his heart sink to his knees.

 

“Me too, Josh. I’m glad we’re _friends_.”

 

_Wait, what?_ Tyler grabbed Brendon’s sleeve as his foot slipped and he fell backwards, accidentally taking his friend with him. They rolled to the closest landing.

 

“ _Fuck,”_ Brendon growled, somewhere between hurt and angry. He had landed on Tyler. He put a hand on his neck as if to choke him and Tyler himself put his on Brendon’s hips with the intention to pull him away and help him stand.

 

_“What the actual fuck?”_

 

They both looked up at the top of the stairs. Josh and Brandon were looking at them: Brandon confused, Josh shocked.

 

As Tyler realized the compromising position he and Brendon were in he quickly stood up, almost making his friend fall again. “It’s not what it looks like.”

 

Brendon nodded vigorously. “I swear, it’s not.”

 

Brandon smiled. “I should go in any case,” he winked friendly at Josh and waved at Tyler and Brendon, who followed him. “I have to go too.”

 

Tyler looked at him, his betrayal stinging. He was not buying him ice-cream anymore. That was a promise.

 

*

 

“So,” Josh began as soon as they got in. “You and Brendon?”

 

Tyler raised his hand. “I swear, Josh, we fell—”

 

“ _Does he make your heart beat faster, too_?” he then widened his eyes in horror at the revelation his question was implying.

 

Tyler was _shook_. “You fucking remember?”

 

“You do too?”

 

“Yes,” Tyler couldn’t believe it. “Obviously yes, I do, how could I forget? Why did you _lie_ to me? _Why didn’t you tell me_?”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me you’re having an affair with Brendon?”

 

Tyler slapped his forehead. “Because I’m not! I told you, we fell. Now answer me,” he ordered getting closer and closer.

 

Josh kept his gaze fixed in Tyler’s eyes. “You’re straight, I’m not. You were drunk. We’re friends and we live together. What was the point?”

 

“Yeah, thought so,” he nodded. “What about you and Brandon?”

 

“He’s a friend.”

 

Tyler raised an eyebrow. “Thought you told me you were dating.”

Josh shrugged. 

 

“You lied to me,” Tyler walked in Josh’s space, forcing him to move back until his back hit the wall. He caged him there, desperate for answers, putting a hand on each side of Josh’s shoulders. “Why?”

 

“I—I,” Josh’s voice was weak. “I wanted to make you _jealous_.”

 

Tyler got impossibly closer. Josh’s words lit his veins and bones like fire on gasoline. “And you made me. Madly, foolishly jealous. Sick in my stomach.”

 

“Tyler, _please_ ,” Josh murmured fisting his hoodie. 

 

“ _God_ , Josh. You make me _crazy_. I’m crazy for you. Do you understand? You’ve made a fool of me,” he whispered on the other’s trembling lips. “Josh, I want you so bad. _Be mine_?”

 

“Yes, fuck,” he breathed. “ _Yes_.”

 

“Then kiss me.”

 

And just like the first time, Tyler’s heart was beating so much _faster_.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just feel like I maybe could add an epilogue? Some shameless smutty fluff? Or maybe not? I'm so conflicted
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my other works frens!


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